Marquess jailed for six months

Jamie Blandford, 51, heir to the Blenheim Palace estate near Oxford, kicked the victim's car door, swearing and running back after pulling his Range Rover over.

He was also banned from the road for three-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to two counts of dangerous driving, careless driving and one count of criminal damage at Oxford Crown Court.

The court heard that Blandford, who appeared under the full name of Charles James Spencer-Churchill, was followed by police on one occasion as he tailgated other drivers and wove in and out of lanes on a busy motorway before cutting up the police vehicle and speeding off at more than 90mph.

Another time, he drove erratically for eight miles to his home in Wootton Downs from a supermarket, causing other drivers to swerve out of the way before racing down a dual carriageway at nearly 100mph.

The court heard that at the time of the offences the Marquess was battling with a number of "personal crises", including a split from his wife and a relapse into drug taking.

Peter Binder, defending, told the court that Blandford was a highly complex and vulnerable individual and at the time of the offences had one form or another of personal crisis in his life.

He said a report by Dr Mark Collins prepared for the judge said he had a number of difficult domestic circumstances and "emotional difficulties" had resurfaced over the course of the last year.

The court heard that the Marquess was suffering from a depressive illness, severe stress and anxiety. Mr Binder said the Marquess had been the victim of a road rage assault, which had added to his problems.

The court was told that the Marquess has been admitted to the Priory clinic after relapsing into a drug addiction and has been receiving new treatment for his various disorders.